Cancellable disk-token systems



Sept. 26, 1967 G. N. WAGENHAUSER CANCELLABLE DI SK-TOKEN SYSTEMS FiledJune 28, 1966 XNVENTOR C1 EORGE N. WAGENHAUSER BY i ATTO NEY UnitedStates Patent O1 3,343,640 CANCELLABLE DISK-TOKEN SYSTEMS George N.Wagenhauser, New York, N.Y., assigner of one-third to Edward Langerman,and one-third to Joseph Bragin, both of Philadelphia, Pa.

Fiied June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,278 4 Claims. (Cl. 194-4) ABSTRACT FTHE DISCLOSURE A system for collecting tokens, such as parking meters,turnstiles, etc., which comprises a housing having an insert-slot for atoken, a vertical passage aligned with the slot, the passage including alarger section to accommodale the main flat portion of a token and asmaller section to accommodate a smaller spherical protuberance on thetoken. A spring-biased abrading wheel is rotatably positioned on aspindle within the housing and is actuated by an external handle orknob. The wheel, when rotated, grinds `down the protuberance on thetoken, which is then frictionally disengaged from the wheel and fallsthrough the passage to a collection chamber. Meanwhile, the rotation ofthe spindle actuates a gear train which, in turn, actuates a clockmechanism or signal.

This invention relates to disk-tokens and systems utilizing the same,and it particularly relates to disk-tokens having removable cancellableinserts and to systems, such as parking meters and the like, in whichthese tokens are used.

Tokens, which can be purchased prior to use and which can correspond toany predetermined value such as two for a quarter or similar odddenominations not possible with monetary coins, are being increasinglyused for parking meters, subway and bus entrance turnstiles and thelike. However, coincident with such increasing use, is the increasingproblem of preventing pilfering of tokens from the meter or turnstile orthe like and re-use by the thief or other unauthorized person.

Various attempts have heretofore been made to solve this problem, as forexample, by permanently disguring the token or destroying it after ithas been deposited. However, this is so expensive that it is usuallyless costly to take a chance on pilfering and unauthorized re-use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system whereby thetokens can be cancelled to prevent unauthorized re-use while, at thesame time, the tokens themselves can be used over and over again byauthorized persons.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system of theabove type wherein both the tokens and the token-receiving mechanism arerelatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use and easy tomaintain.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a top perspective view of a token embodying the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a parking meter embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-sectional view showing theoperating elements of the parking meter illustrated in FIG. 2, the partsbeing shown just prior to being actuated by the token.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the parts in operation.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view showing the token of FIG. 1 after ithas passed through the parking meter.

3,343,640 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 Referring now yin greater detail tothe various figures of the drawings wherein similar reference charactersrefer to similar parts, there is shown in FIG. l a disk-type token 10made of either metal, plastic or any other desirable and feasiblematerial, which is provided with a central aperture, Within this centralaperture is forcetted a hemispherical insert 12 of relatively hardmaterial which is yet suiiiciently soft to be easily ground down,grooved, or otherwise marked by a knurled wheel or the like. Althoughthe insert 12 is held securely within the aperture by the frictionalforce fit, it may be removed by suiicient pressure Supplied either by ahand tool or a power tool such as a hand or power-operated hammer or aspecial machine adapted forV such purpose.

The token 10, shown in FIG. l, is adapted to be inserted in a token-slot14 at the top of a chute 16 provided on a parking meter or the like,generally designated 18. The parking meter 18 has a window 2t) with atimed indicator hand 22 movable along a scale 24. The indicator hand 22is set in motion for a predetermined time by insertion of the token 10in the slot 14 and by rotation of the knob 26 in the full direction ofthe arrow shown thereon until halted by a stop means (not shown). Whenthe knob is turned to its fully rotated position, the indicator 22 isset at the right-hand end of the scale (as viewed in FIG. l) and thenmoves back in accordance with a clock mechanism of the standard type(not shown) until it reaches the left-hand end. At this time, a red agor the like pops up in the ordinary manner of parking meters generally,such flag and the mechanism for operating it being of the standard typeand therefore not here illustrated.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the token 10, having the extendingspherical insert 12, is inserted in the slot 10 it falls through akey-like passage 28 in an inner wall 3i), one part of the passage 2S (asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4) being relatively wide to encompass the diskitself while another part is smaller to receive the sphericalprotuberance 12. As the disk falls to a certain position, the insert E2contacts a knurled wheel 32 mounted on a spindle 34. The spindle 34 isconnected at its front end to a pin 36 by means of a universal joint 33.The pin 36 is mounted for rotation in a journal 4t) in the front wall ofthe housing 42 of the parking meter and extends through the front wallto a position forwardly thereof. Here, it is connected to the knob 26previously described. The rear end of the spindle 34 is positioned in anelongated slot 44 provided in a bracket 46 integral with the innersurface of the rear wall of the housing 42. Behind the knurled wheel 32,the spindle 34 is provided with a gear 48, and between the gear 43 andthe bracket 46, a spring 50 is connected between the spindle 34 and theinner wall 30 ofthe housing.

The gear 48 is normally maintained just slightly out of engagement witha gear 52 by the spring 50 (as shown in FIG. 3). The gear 52 is mountedon a shaft 54 that is rotatably journaled, at one end, in a bushing 56in the rear Wall of the housing, and, at the other end, in a bushing 53in the front wall of the housing. Spaced from the gear 52 longitudinallyof the shaft 54 is a gear 60.

A micro-switch 62 has its contact normally out of engagement with theSpindle 34 (as in FIG. 3) but is engaged therewith when the spindle isin the position shown in FIG. 4.

In operation, as the token 1G contacts the knurled wheel 32, it moves itto the left (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4) and also causes it to ride upinto the position shown in FIG. 4, against the bias of the spring 59.Then 0 when the knob 26 is turned, it rotates the spindle 34- 3 face ofthe insert 12 of the disk l0 until it has the appearance shown in FlG.5. As soon as it grinds it down sufficiently to release its frictionalengagement therewith, the token falls through the passage 28 into acollection chamber or the like. The wheel 32 is held from maintainingits engagement with the ground-down disk by the engagement of the gears48 and 52 which, while in mesh, are being rotated by lthe knob 26 actingthrough the pin 36 and the spindle 34. The rotation of the gears 4S and52 causes the shaft 54 to rotate, and this, in turn, causes rotation ofthe gear 60.

The gear 60 is the iirst gear of a clock train of standard design (notshown). As the clock train is actuated, it winds the clock mechanism toa predetermined degree, as for example, sufficient to cause it tooperate for sixty minutes or whatever other time interval is desired.Meanwhile, after the knob 26 is released, the spring 5% pulls the gear48 out of engagement with the gear 52 and sets the machine in a readyposition for the next token.

The used disks can thereafter be removed vfrom the collection chamberand the ground-down inserts i2 can then be knocked out and replaced bynew ones.

Although the inserts 12 are here illustrated as being hemispherical inshape, any other desired shape can be used, preferably one which wouldlbe difficult for an unauthorized person to duplicate.

The micro-switch 62 is provided for the purpose of energizing a signallight or the like. However, it may also be used to energize anelectrical system to operate another mechanism. This would beparticularly useful when the present invention is utilized with aturnstile or the like in a subway, street car or bus system. In suchcase, the micro-switch might be used by itself, without the gear 52,shaft 54 and clock train gear 6d, to release the turnstile to permitentrance of the passenger. It might also be used to energize a countingmechanism to record the number of passengers or other people beingadmitted.

Obviously, many modications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Y The invention claimed is:

1. A disk-token system comprising a housing, a slot in said housing, apassage in said housing connecting with one end of said slot, adisk-token movable through said slot and passage, said disk-token havingan aperture therein with an insert removably secured therein, saidinsert extending away from one face of said disk-token, marking meansfor distorting said insert as it passes through said passage, indicatingmeans operatively connected with said marking means, and actuating meansfor simultaneously operating said marking means and said indicatingmeans, said indicating means being operatively connected to a clockmechanism which is operatively connected to said marking means.

2. A disk-token system comprising a housing, a slot in said housing, apassage in said housing connecting with one end of said slot, adisk-token movable through said slot and passage, said disk-token havingan aperture therein with an insert removably secured therein, saidinsert extending away from one face of said Idisk-token, marking meansfor distorting said insert as it passes through said passage, indicatingmeans operatively connected with said marking means, and actuating meansfor simultaneously operating said marking means and said indicatingmeans, said marking means comprising a knurled wheel mounted on arotatable spindle which is` resiliently biased toward said passage, saidspindle being operatively connecte-d to a rotatable knob.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said indicating means is operativelyconnected to a micro-switch which is in operative engagement with saidmarking means.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said spindle has a gear thereonconstructed and arranged to meshingly engage a second gear on arotatable shaft against the resilient bias, said shaft having a thirdgear in operative engagement with a clock train.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,794,869 6/ 1957 Noregaard.

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISK-TOKEN SYSTEM COMPRISING A HOUSING, A SLOT IN SAID HOUSING, APASSAGE IN SAID HOUSING CONNECTING WITH ONE END OF SAID SLOT, ADISK-TOKEN MOVABLE THROUGH SAID SLOT AND PASSAGE, SAID DISK-TOKEN HAVINGAN APERTURE THEREING WITH AN INSERT REMOVABLY SECURE THEREIN, SAIDINSERT EXTENDING AWAY FROM ONE FACE OF SAID DISK-TOKEN, MARKING MEANSFOR DISTORTING SAID INSERT AS IT PASSES THROUGH SAID PASSAGE, INDICATINGMEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID MARKING MEANS, AND ACTUATING MEANSFOR SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERATING SAID MARKING MEANS AND SAID INDICATINGMEANS, SAID INDICATING MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO A CLOCKMECHANISM WHICH IS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MARKING MEANS.